Thursday, August 24, two hundred Ecuadorians held a sit-in outside the Chinese embassy in Quito to demand the expulsion of a fishing fleet that remains in the vicinity of the Galapagos Islands, a further sign of the widespread discontent towards Beijing.

“Out Chinese, out,” “Do not touch Galapagos,” or “Leave the sea,” were some of the slogans chanted over and over again by the protesters, who accused China of “consuming” Ecuador’s natural resources and those of the “humanity.” Protesters accused the previous government of Rafael Correa (2007-2017) for having allowed it.

“We utterly repudiate the actions of Chinese ships on the high seas, in the Ecuadorian territory,” Nora Salazar, one of the participants in the protest, told Efe.

“I directly blame former President Rafael Correa and the attitudes he took during the congress (international convention), he could have prevented these actions,” he added. Protesters blocked traffic by lying on the streets, riot agents surrounded the Chinese embassy at all times. (I)